International Tiger Day 2024: date, history, significance and global efforts

International Tiger Day, also known as Global Tiger Day, was founded in 2010 during the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia. This summit brought together governments from tiger-range countries, conservation organisations, and experts to discuss measures to halt the alarming decline in tiger numbers.

The participating nations committed to doubling the tiger population by 2022, a goal known as TX2. Although significant progress has been made, continued efforts are essential to maintain and build upon these achievements.

Significance

Tigers are not only apex predators playing a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance, but they are also cultural icons and symbols of strength and bravery in many societies. However, their numbers have dwindled dramatically due to poaching, habitat destruction, and human-wildlife conflict. Today, fewer than 4,000 tigers remain in the wild, compared to over 100,000 a century ago.

International Tiger Day serves as a platform to educate the public about these threats and the urgent need for conservation actions. It also celebrates the successes in tiger conservation, such as the increase in tiger populations in countries like India and Nepal, and the establishment of protected areas and wildlife corridors.

Global Efforts and Local Initiatives

On this day, numerous events, campaigns, and activities are organised worldwide to promote tiger conservation. Governments, NGOs, and wildlife conservationists collaborate to host awareness programs, educational workshops, and fundraising events.

Social media campaigns using hashtags like #InternationalTigerDay and #SaveTigers help amplify the message, reaching a broader audience.

Local communities play a pivotal role in conservation efforts. In many tiger-range countries, initiatives to involve local populations in sustainable practices and anti-poaching measures have shown promising results.